We will try and get to a hotel every other night. This way we can relax and clean up.
We will leave from the "E" St. / Bonita Rd. exit I-805 in Chula Vista, CA., Denny’’s Restaurant at 8:00 A.M.. You should have already purchased your insurance and exchanged any money you will need. I suggest that you change Greenbacks for Pesos to prevent being taken advantage of. In some of the more remote locations you don’t get a good exchange rate. The needs of each person is different and the amount of money that you exchange will be different. The use of credit cards for fuel is unheard of in Baja, you will need cash. This is a good place to use the "canned bank." (This is the hidden compartment made to look like a beverage container). You can buy your Mexican Insurance on line at Bajabound.com.
The trip will exceed 2,000 miles in length border to border and will require enough fuel paid for with pesos. Pemex Gas is running about $2.25 per gallon and up to $3.00 out of 55 gallon drums. You will also need cash for extra food, drinks and gifts. I might suggest that you convert a least $600.00. You can convert any unused peas’’s back to dollars when you return. We will visit many of the Baja missions from the Jesuit colonization, the Franciscan period and then to the Dominican era.
We will start with the toll road along the coast to Ensenada Highway 1-D. We will not stop at this time for trinkets or souvenirs as we will have plenty of time for that along the way back. The toll road will have three (3) toll booths prior to Ensenada and the amount can change daily. You will have to pay your own tolls. Due to the constant change in the exchange rate we will have to wait to see exactly what it will be (in the past it averages about $2.25 each). The next several hundred miles are on pavement. The terrain is the costal chaparral quite similar to Southern Calif. and do have a long way to our first nights lodging. We will leave the coast and head inland to the beautiful rocks and cactus. We can rough it the first night in Baja.
You will take a side trip to the Ruins of Santa Maria Mission, at approximately 19 mi. each way. This is the first in our 4-Wheeling Adventure, but an all day trip. We get to see a spectacular view to the gulf and Gonzaga Bay along the way. We finish with a hotel and showers.
After a hot breakfast our next stop is we will get our Visas just before Guerrero Negro for gas and supplies. We hit the trail again going to San Ignacio to the mission and for the night.
As the day breaks we move on to Santa Rosalia, gas, Lunch, and sightseeing. Next stop is Mulege and it’s wonderful Mission. We mo on to Loreto and another of the marvelous Missions.
When we reach La Paz We will be at our furthest south Mission and we will return North visiting additional Missions or sites we passes on the way south. We will take a day to rest and sight see.
Morning it is get ready to leave the highway for the mining town of San Juan De La Costa with peaceful bays. This is the remote and non-tourist Baja in its own beauty.
If everything goes smooth we will find us a remote site to camp on after we visit La Pasion Ruins. We will have a stop at Mission San Lois Gonzaga. It is back through Ciudad Constitucion. We will head up the west coast to Mission La Purisima, to the next camp at the Bahia Concepcion for the night.
We are off and gone for gas and the next adventure in Mileage and Vizcaino. As usual we must endure a few bumps to get our rewards past El Arco. We can camp in one of the most unique valleys anywhere a (thorn forest) for night at Mission San Gertrudis. Our next turn stop is Mission San Borja. .
We will then again go north to our next mission San Fernando and into El Rosario de Abajo. We will stop at additional ruins as we head to the border time permitting.
We will cross back into the United States at Tecate.
The trip fees include the Hotel fees for six nights at double bed rates. Any additional people are at an extra charge.
Special Equipment; C.B. Radio, Extra 10 Gal. of gas, Extra Oils, Good Spare tire Cameras and film, Camping Gear (see the check list sent with conformation), Binoculars, You have to carry a passport to re-enter the U.S.. Bring enough clothing to cover the spectrum of weather (cool to hot).
This is our planned itinerary and is always subject to change do to; weather, gas availability, road conditions, and any unforeseen conditions. Western Adventures hopes this will be one adventure you will always cherish. I am looking forward to seeing you on one of our trips real soon!
